Chapter 173
Chapter 173
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 173
Chapter Title: Han Family's Interest
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While living busily, he'd momentarily forgotten about it all, but as his illness worsened and he spent more time alone, Han Dae-hyeon found himself recalling past events more frequently.
Especially when watching his children, Han Se-jin and Han Se-yeon, he couldn't shake the worry that the same misfortunes he'd endured might repeat for them.
Han Dae-hyeon gazed at the paper tucked in his bosom, bearing Kim Jin-woo's contact information.
"Kim Jin-woo..."
He'd claimed to have good instincts himself.
But intuition wasn't just some lucky fluke.
It stemmed from past experiences and keen insight.
Han Dae-hyeon was a man of sharp instincts too. They'd played no small part in elevating Hansung Group to its pinnacle.
And now, those instincts told him Kim Jin-woo was something special.
Han Dae-hyeon typed out a message.
[Let's meet again soon. I'll set the date.]
I returned to the dorm. Since I'd spent Friday and Saturday elsewhere, this was my first time back in days.
"Wung-ae."
Gretel greeted me as I arrived. I smiled and scooped her up.
Glancing at the branches on her head, I noticed the fruits had taken decent shape over the past three days. Still, they needed more time to ripen.
I wish they'd hurry up.
Gulp. I swallowed hard, and Gretel's expression stiffened.
"...Ung-ae?"
She eyed me anxiously, clearly remembering the time I'd tried to pluck her fruit.
Should I reassure her? As I pondered, my smartphone buzzed.
I set Gretel down and checked the message.
[Let's meet again soon. I'll set the date.]
"Ho."
The reply came sooner than expected. I'd never imagined he'd contact me right after we parted.
I texted back immediately.
[Yes, I'll be waiting.]
Another message followed.
[Sorry about today. Next time, drinks are on me.]
It was Han Se-yeon.
I chuckled and replied.
[No need to worry. I had a good time, actually.]
After sending that, I headed to the shower to wash up.
That was when it happened.
A barrage of messages floated before my eyes.
"What the heck?"
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 174
Chapter Title: Dungeon Domination and the Chairman's Gaze
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Wednesday afternoon.
I was spacing out, mulling over my packed schedule ahead.
Eunwol clan, dispelling the illusion barrier, dungeon raids, finals...
It was insanely busy. These alone filled up nearly my entire year.
I might just drop dead from overwork.
On top of that, personal training, point grinding...
Mountains of things demanding my attention.
"Sigh."
"Why the big sigh?"
At the entrance to the dungeon training ground in the back mountains of the Korean Sorcerer Academy.
Yoo A-ra, standing beside me, looked my way and asked.
"Just mentally exhausted."
"You do look beat. I've thought it before, but aren't you pushing your body too hard?"
Pushing too hard, huh.
Can't deny there's some truth to that.
I'd been going nonstop with barely any days off.
Plus, skimping on sleep meant I wasn't even fully tapping into Orgeol's effects.
Maybe cut back on training time?
"Alright, we're entering the dungeon now. Groups of six. Scores based on clear time and team member bonuses."
Today's training commenced.
This was the monthly dungeon raid training at the Korean Sorcerer Academy.
The twist: teams of six.
My group: me, Yoo A-ra, and four random extras I didn't know.
"Nice to team up!"
"Ooh, Yoo A-ra and Kim Seon-woo? At least second place locked."
The teammates grinned at us. Looked like my rep had turned me into a guaranteed score booster.
I was used to reactions like that by now, so no big deal.
Fwssh!
We stepped through the training portal into the dungeon.
As the space shifted to a dim cave, I announced to the group.
"We're going fast, so keep up."
Dungeon raids factor in team bonus scores.
They divide based on average team rankings—generous for high averages, stingy for low.
With Yoo A-ra and me, ours skewed high.
Meaning the bonus worked against us, so we needed a blowout first place.
"No time to waste. Gotta start now for first."
Competitive Yoo A-ra chimed in, knowing the deal.
"Let's go."
We blitzed through the dungeon.
Yoo A-ra handled the mobs with her AoE prowess, while I swiftly disarmed traps and barriers to keep the pace blazing.
Boom! Boom! KABOOM!
—Kieeeek!
Bwoom!
—Ki-ek!
"...Those two are insane."
"Holy crap, no joke."
"Top tiers really are another level."
Admiration from behind, but we ignored it and pressed on.
Time flew; we cleared the dungeon.
Exiting, Jang An-cheol stared at us in disbelief.
"...Group 5. Overwhelming first place."
"Yay!"
"Kim Seon-woo and Yoo A-ra carrying hard."
Teammates jumped for joy at their scores.
I smirked and checked the leaderboard.
Lee Seo-jun's team led, but they'd cleared our stage twenty minutes after us.
Even with bonuses, first was ours.
Me and Yoo A-ra made a solid dungeon duo, all things considered.
Her fire for victory was a nice touch too.
"Good work. First's locked."
I tossed it casually her way; she flashed a satisfied smile.
Thrilled to outscore Lee Seo-jun again, no doubt.
"Yeah. You too."
All school training and classes wrapped.
I headed to the Seoul Sorcerer Association with Lee Seo-jun.
Award ceremony for the midterms and last week's demon kills.
Far away, and I didn't care about plaques, but public eyes meant points, so I dragged myself there.
"Such a hassle."
I muttered; Lee Seo-jun chuckled.
"They pay, though."
"Pfft, how much could it be?"
"Eighty million won?"
"...What? Eighty million?"
"Yeah. Pretty generous, right?"
"Oh ho."
Nice chunk of change. High-grade demons, I guess.
B-rank bounties were around fifteen million; tossing in some A-ranks jacked it to eighty.
I'd amassed billions before, but eighty million still felt hefty.
"We're here."
Creeeak.
The auditorium doors of the association HQ swung open to a crowd.
Staff, reporters.
A few familiar faces: Special Task Force's Kim Deok-hyeon, Jeong Hyeon, and that reporter in the corner—I'd seen him at school a few times.
Association event on magic education today, probably why the turnout.
Likely trotting us students out as poster kids for the ceremony here.
"Seo-jun! A word on your thoughts!"
As expected, reporters swarmed Lee Seo-jun on entry.
He handled them with smiles.
I got some heat too—mostly Seo-jun related.
How I'd face him in finals.
Why we'd been hanging out so much lately.
Total fluff questions.
Time passed; ceremony started.
Staff guided us onstage.
All eyes on us.
Cameras flashing nonstop.
"Hey, snap 'em."
"Man, hottest kids around right now."
Clap clap clap clap.
With applause, a familiar elderly face from the news climbed the stage.
I was mildly shocked spotting him.
The strongest sorcerer.
Kim Jin-cheol, chairman even the Jaun—world's worst crime syndicate—feared.
Kim Jin-cheol took the plaque and stood before us.
I stared straight at his face. Last week Han Dae-hyeon, now this—escalating bigwigs.
Sudden heavyweight encounter had me tense.
First time seeing him up close, though.
Face like a friendly neighborhood grandpa, but the solid build under his clothes showed no frailty.
"Grandpa."
"Call me Chairman here."
Kim Jin-cheol smiled warmly, handing the plaque to Lee Seo-jun.
Then clasped hands. Cameras erupted, blinding.
My turn.
He grabbed another plaque and stepped up.
"So you're Kim Seon-woo. Heard a lot about you from Seo-jun."
He knew my name. Surprising.
"Had my curiosities about you. Il-hyeon that rascal's your personal tutor? Skipped my summer lessons for you. Tsk."
Still holding that grudge?
"Shocked hearing it, anyway. Il-hyeon's no teacher type."
"I was surprised too."
I knew Choi Il-hyeon's personality well from the original.
Speaking of, he'd said research kept him busy—haven't heard from him lately.
Wonder if he ditched teaching and bolted.
Anyone else, no; but Choi Il-hyeon? Totally plausible.
Kim Jin-cheol handed me the plaque and extended his hand.
I shook it.
Callused, rock-hard grip spoke volumes of his life.
Just from that clasp, I glimpsed his storied path.
"Hm. Think I see why Il-hyeon took interest. And why Seo-jun's wary."
"Pardon?"
I tilted my head at the out-of-left-field comment.
"Young, but wielding diverse mana types. Greedy like Il-hyeon too."
That's when I caught on.
His trait 'Mana Scan' had activated.
A brief touch revealed an opponent's magic affinities.
"Heh. Interesting."
Kim Jin-cheol dropped my hand after that.
Applause roared from the seats again. Flashes blinded me.
Meanwhile, somewhere in the Pacific—an uninhabited isle.
Teeming with beasts, this spot was the famed 'Rain Island,' shrouded in eternal downpours by mysterious forces.
A group huddled under trees there, escaping the rain.
Jaun's crew.
"Argh, where the hell is it? This damp sucks."
"Shut it. So impatient."
Natasha snapped; grumbling Skar pouted.
"Huh? This it?"
Then Baek Eun-seong pointed his prosthetic at a small grove.
Deep in Rain Island's center.
Home to their target: disaster-grade beast, the 'Red Rain Beast.'
Today, they aimed for its heart—the mystic ingredient from slaying it.
Disaster-grades weren't easy pickings, even for Jaun.
Especially terrain-boosted ones, combat prowess exploding exponentially.
Hence, relic and ancient weapon: 'Great Demonic Purge Engine,' fueled by 'Mana Core.'
"Yo, Baek Eun-seong. Getting comfy with that arm?"
Skar eyed Baek Eun-seong's left prosthetic. He glanced at it.